The annual dinner to her Majesty's Ministers came off at
the Mansion House on Wednesday, but Mr. Disraeli and Lard Derby were both absent. Lord Salisbury therefore responded for her Majesty's Ministers, and told his audience that the Peers legis- lated, but abstained from debate, while the other brawJi of the Legislature debated, and did not legislate. This statement ex- - cited the amused amazement of Mr. Pierrepoint, the American Minister, who, in responding for the guests, said he gathered from the Ministers of the Crown that in this country "the House of Lords did nearly all the legislation, and the House of Commons all the speaking." Mr. Pierrepoint was, however, in error. He did not understand the cynical humour of the noble Marquis, who intended obviously a much more cutting gibe. He meant to ridicule the House of Commons, who, under the present Administration, are compelled to fill up their time with wrangles about privilege, royal titles, and such like trivialities ; and the House of Lords, which is just going to pass almost all the important Bills of the Session without time to deliberate on one of them. The Peers will, in fact, for the most part vote Bills, many of them of the last importance, which they have never read.
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